Johannesburg — Kaizer Chiefs’ revival phase is in full swing after they cut ties with Nike to reunite with Kappa.
Amakhosi are arguably the biggest club in the land, having amassed the biggest following and 93 trophies throughout their 51 years of existence.
But they have been below-par in the last few years, forcing structural changes to leaders, coaches, players and sponsors.
Club legend Arthur Zwane took over the coaching reins at the start of the season, with his knowledge of the club deemed vital in bringing back their glory days.
Zwane’s appointment was backed by his bosses as well. They dug deep into their pockets, signing players that are tipped to play and win Amakhosi's way.
The new signings have adapted differently. The likes of Yusuf Maart (27) have become Amakhosi at once, while the likes of Kamohelo Mahlatsi have stuttered.
The impact of finding new combinations and getting players to embrace the environment saw Chiefs blow hot and cold in the first half of the season.
Nonetheless, Zwane had done enough to convince his bosses that he was still the right man for the job as they continue to believe in him, despite the outside noise.
The winds of change have been blowing all round at Amakhosi, including in sponsorships as they couldn’t agree to a new contract with Nike as it emerged that Nike weren't going to renew their partnership ahead of the new season.
While that must have been disappointing for Amakhosi they decided to rekindle their union with Italian giants Kappa on Friday.
This is not the first time that the two brands joined forces, having had a solid partnership for seven years, between 1989 and 1996, with Chiefs winning trophies.
Even though the worth of the deal between the two parties is still unknown, a fresh start with a dash of previous success, surely, augurs well for Chiefs.
The initial five-year deal with Chiefs and Kappa is set to start next season, giving Amakhosi six months to map out their future.
Chiefs went into the Christmas break in search of a striker and the names that have been thrown around will not come cheap.
Dino Ndlovu is one of the players rumoured to be on Chiefs’ radar. But he won’t come cheap as he is on a bumper cheque in China.
And that’s where Kappa comes in. Chiefs will not be forced into looking at local talent, they can cast their net as wide as Italy as this is where Kappa is based. And with a lot of athletes in their stable, it shouldn’t be hard for Chiefs to convince those players to join them.
IOL Sport